Belgium's billion-euro boost: Redefining defense aid to Ukraine
In 2025, Belgium will allocate €1 billion ($1.12 billion) for aid to Ukraine, of which €645 million ($725 million) will support the local defense industry. This aid package from Belgium highlights a prototype Leopard 1 tank. Let's explore what this involves and what it might mean.
According to the portal De Tijd, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken emphasizes the importance of implementing aid through national defense companies. The package, which involves 645 million euros, includes deliveries of hundreds of armored ambulances and Unimog transport vehicles, five marine unmanned drones, helmets, medical equipment, portable drone detection systems, night vision goggles, protective clothing, and over 16,000 pieces of weaponry and arms, along with twenty modernized Cerber air defense systems.
Additionally, the package features one prototype Leopard 1 tank with a Cockerill 3105 turret that will undergo testing in Ukraine. If it meets the challenges and satisfies Ukrainian expectations, it will be possible to upgrade over a hundred Leopard 1A5 tanks to a new standard.
Leopard 1 with Cockerill 3105 turret: new life for old machines
The idea involves mounting a modern Cockerill 3105 turret on the Leopard 1 tank chassis, which includes advanced observation capabilities and a fire control system akin to modern tanks. This setup features the latest thermal cameras and allows the crew to operate in a hunter-killer mode.
This significantly reduces the time from target detection to elimination, as the commander has an independent sight and designates targets for the gunner, who then uses the ballistic computer for final corrections and firing.
Furthermore, the Cockerill 3105 turret includes an autoloader and an ammunition magazine housed in the turret's niche with a capacity of 12-16 rounds, thus isolating them from the crew. The turret is designed with weakened structures to redirect explosion forces outward in the event of ammunition ignition. This represents significant progress compared to the standard Leopard 1, which stores ammunition in a less protected hull.
Cockerill 3105: immense firepower in a lightweight form
For these reasons, the aluminum turret is not excessively armored, providing protection at a maximum level V according to STANAG 4569, which offers resistance against fire from 25 mm caliber automatic guns. This also keeps the weight light, as the Leopard 1A5 with the new turret weighs 41 tons instead of 46 tons. This weight reduction allows the Ukrainians, for instance, more room to cover the hull with Kontakt-1 reactive armor blocks for enhanced protection against FPV drones.
An additional advantage of the new turret is the use of a Cockerill 105 mm HP gun capable of utilizing new ammunition and withstanding higher pressure. This significantly enhances its capabilities and even allows firing Falarick 105 anti-tank guided missiles, which were developed in collaboration with Ukrainian "Łucz" plants, over a range of 3 miles. If the prototype proves to have no significant flaws, it is likely to attract interest from Ukraine.
